Private households acquire a high and constantly increasing number of electronic equipment. In most western households one will find a radio, a TV set, a stereo rack, a camera, a calculator, a telephone and likely also at least one remote control for at least one such device. More recently developed devices, which at the beginning of the 21st century also become more and more common, are portable and desktop personal computers, palmtop devices, mobile phones, touch screen LCD displays, CD, DVD, MP3 audio and video equipment, play stations and the like.
These devices, both when used in a private ambience and in a business environment, represent a particular challenge in terms of cleanness and hygiene. Being largely designed in view of technical needs rather than ease of cleaning, they often comprise difficult to reach and/or difficult to clean surfaces, a prime example for such a surface being a keyboard or keypad, which in one or the other form is comprised by most such devices.
A further challenge in relation to the cleaning of any such device, is that they are typically delicate and further will suffer damage from contact with water or most other liquids. When water intrudes such device, e.g. via the keypad, due to the highly integrated and compact design of such devices, liquid is bound to induce a short-circuit and thereby typically unrepairable damage.
Besides the need for cleanness and hygiene in a private ambience and for the comfort of the user, often such devices are shared between different users, e.g. computers and telephones, in particular in a business and office environment, where cleanness is particularly relevant for the comfort of usage and lack of cleanness may even mean a risk of spreading infections. In a further aspect cleanness may be required for the proper functioning of a device, e.g. a touch screen LCD display.
A number of dedicated cleaning devices for electronic and other delicate equipment is known. Some devices solely or predominately rely on the mechanical removal of dirt, dust and the like. For example, DE 29813015 discloses a sponge shaped to match the contours of a typical keyboard and DE 19609940 discloses a device comprising a number of brushes, which can be mechanically adjusted to match the contour of a given keyboard. DE 29715059 discloses a cleaning device for computer keyboards comprising a wedge-shaped pad of absorbent material. In GB 2276311 a hand-held furniture vacuum cleaner is disclosed, also for use on computer keyboards, and in view of the same usage in U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,651 a nozzle brush attachment for a vacuum cleaner is disclosed. A product comprising a brush and a wiping surface, to be used particularly for cameras and optical equipment, is marketed under the name of “LensPen” by International Parkside Products of Vancouver, Canada.
Other devices employ cleaning liquids and rely less on purely mechanical removal of dust and dirt. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,239 discloses a portable device comprising a fluid source and a vacuum device. Kensington of California, USA, markets pre-moistured wipes for use on computers, keyboards and other office equipment, however, the wipes are said not to be suitable for notebook and anti-glare screens. CleanTex of New York, USA, markets a variety of cleaning wipes for different surfaces including those for computers and computer screens. 3M of Minnesota, USA, under the trade name of “Keyboard Cleaner” markets a three piece kit comprising a mechanical device and a cleaning solution.
Obviously, a large number of chemical compositions are known to be useful for cleaning tasks. Some consumers are known to use home care products, such as detergents and all purpose cleaners (appropriately diluted in water), also for technical equipment in their household. An alternative choice may be to use an isopropyl alcohol, which for example is comprised by CleanTex wipe No. 833, which is recommended for computer screens.
Other compositions are known to be useful for specific industrial applications: U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,618 discloses compositions based on fluorochlorohydrocarbons, alcohols and at least one ester and particularly their use for removing soldering flux and soldering flux residue from printed circuit boards. WO 99/38947 discloses an organic-based composition comprising a fluorinated compound, a high polarity solvent and a low polarity solvent. The composition is disclosed for use in the cleaning industry and in a preferred method of usage an object to be cleaned is treated with the boiling composition and the vapours thereof. The composition is disclosed as suitable for circuit boards and live electrical circuits and also sensitive plastic surfaces, including polycarbonate and polyacrylic surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,642 discloses a method for removal of water from surfaces by use of a composition comprising a fluoropolyether, the method to be used in particular in the electronics and fine mechanics field.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,780,414 discloses solvents consisting of certain hydrofluoropolyethers as cleaning rinsing agents and their use for the removal of oily substances.
JP 63178198A2 discloses a composition comprising mainly trichlorotrifluoroetane which is said to be suitable for word processors, personal computers and keyboards. Chlorinated compounds are known to contribute to the depletion of ozone in the ozonosphere and further to the global warming. Considering that, in those developed countries where a large number of consumers employ sophisticated electronic equipment of the mentioned types, among consumers there is also a considerable awareness of environmental issues, such composition is not ideal for a product to be sold on a large scale. In view of the prior art, it remains an objective to provide:                a cleaning device and composition of high cleaning performance suitable for household equipment, office equipment, electrical or electronic equipment, optical equipment, and similar equipment as listed herein.        a cleaning device and composition suitable for the multitude of different surfaces, including plastic surfaces and delicate surfaces, found on such equipment.        a cleaning device and composition which is environmentally friendly.        a cleaning device and composition which is easy to apply and use.        a cleaning device and composition which is safe to use and preferably avoids skin contact of any cleaning composition with the skin of the user.        a cleaning device and composition which is electro-safe.        a cleaning device which further provides optimal mechanical dust and dirt removal performance.        